Durable and highly absorptive ant-nest structured superhydrophobic sponge for efficient de-icing and interfacial evaporation in polar environments

Abstract

The Arctic plays a crucial role in the Earth's climate system. However, the unique geography and climate of the Polar Regions present significant challenges for anti-icing/de-icing and clean water production in the Polar Regions, and there is an urgent need for innovative materials to help personnel and instrumentation address these issues. In this work, a composite structure with both micro- and nano-rough surfaces, excellent vapour escape channels and superhydrophobic properties is developed with the design concept of an anthill delicate cross-scale multi-stacked void structure. The light absorption reaches 98% across wavelengths from 200 to 2500 nm. It also has a hydrophobicity angle of 154.5°. It de-ices within 540 s at low solar intensities and delays icing up to 5400 s at −20 °C. A vapor escape channel enables efficient interfacial evaporation, achieving a rate of 2.76 kg m⁻² h in Arctic seawater. Notably, the study achieved the integrated exploration of interfacial evaporation and de-icing, converting 0.5 cm of Arctic ice into fresh water in 7200 s. Additionally, PMOS (PDA@MWCNTs@MnO₂@CuO@MS) shows high durability, retaining superhydrophobicity after 200 tape strips, friction tests, and 50 icing–deicing cycles—offering a reliable solution for polar de-icing and interfacial evaporation.